Page 38 of Tainted Souls
Before I can react, another masked figure appears beside him. Saul.
He doesn’t greet me or look me in the eye, only stands there, fixated on the chains around my wrists. “Those need to come off,” my brother says, his voice muffled by the mask.
Revenant wipes some blood off his temple. “Hold her still.”
Saul’s hands grip my arms tightly, his touch feeling both foreign and achingly familiar. Then, in one fell swoop, Revenant crushes the chains underfoot, snapping them in half, the impact sending me face down to the ground if it weren’t for my brother holding me steady.
I rub my wrists as circulation returns painfully to my hands.
Around us, other Ravens move with horrifying speed, dispatching slayers at a pace so fast they appear to be in multiple places at once. I spot Mira taking on two vampires by herself, moving with the skill of someone who’s survived far too many fights. Henry is firing shots from a strategic position, each of them finding its target with unerring accuracy.
Then I see it—a Raven driving Mira’s own blade through her chest, her body crumpling like a discarded puppet. Not long after, Henry falls too, throat torn out by vampire fangs. Two more slump against a tree, blood pooling beneath them. I force myself to move, to help, but I’m held back by Saul.
“Let go of me!” I shout, trying to pull away.
Saul’s grip only tightens, his fingers digging painfully into my skin. I struggle against him, watching helplessly as the last slayers fall.
The sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing reverberates with a dreadful finality, a grotesque symphony that makes my stomach churn. These were people I knew, people I trained with, and now they’ve been slaughtered right before my eyes.
“Let me go!” I thrash harder, fighting back tears. But without my weapons, I’m powerless against him.
I can’t save anyone. Not Mira, not Henry, not even myself.
When the Ravens have finished their work, they gather around us in a loose circle, vitae seeping into their clothing. It is of no consequence. Their wounds are already closing, immortal flesh knitting back together at an unnaturally fast rate. All of their faces are hidden behind masks, hoods, and high collars asusual. The shortest among them rotates her neck as a deep gash heals almost instantaneously.
“Cowards!” I spit, venom in my voice as I survey the carnage. “Only striking when they’re at their most vulnerable.”
The tall, dark-skinned man standing next to the woman with the healing shoulder tilts his head, regarding me with subtle mockery in his devilish red eyes. “I’m confused,” he says, feigning deep thought. “You think that’s cowardice?” He glances at the woman beside him. “What do you think, my beloved?”
She shrugs. “Sounds smart to me.”
“Agreed,” another Raven chimes in as he steps over a slayer’s corpse, blond strands clinging to his forehead. “Why make it difficult when it can be easy?”
Revenant snickers before glancing skyward. “Pack it up,” he commands. “I hear reinforcements coming.”
The distant thrum of helicopter blades confirms his words. A flicker of hope ignites in my chest. All I have to do is stall them.
With a sudden burst of strength born from desperation, I twist in Saul’s grip, throwing my weight forward. The unexpected movement catches him off guard, loosening his hold just enough.
I drop to the ground, rolling toward the nearest fallen slayer. My fingers close around their gun, and I swivel, firing wildly at the Ravens.
“Over here!” I scream, hoping the incoming reinforcements can hear me. “Help!”
The Ravens scatter, avoiding my shots with minimal effort. I keep firing, emptying the clip in an arc around me as I scramble to my feet. The gun clicks dry, and I toss it aside, breaking into a preternatural sprint toward the sound of the approaching helicopters.
I hear their voices behind me, fading as they retreat.
“We can kill them,” my brother suggests, a knot of dread forming in my stomach. So many have already died for me.
I pause, breathing heavily. I cannot let the others die too.
“No,” Revenant says, his response firm. “Let the brat be.”
I close my eyes, relief washing over me. I do not look back, pushing my legs harder as I race through the abandoned forest. The spotlight from a helicopter sweeps across the trees ahead, and I wave my arms frantically.
“Over here!” I shout, my voice raw with emotion.
The spotlight finds me, blinding in its intensity, and I shield my eyes with my arm. The roar of the rotors drowns out everything else as the aircraft descends, kicking up dust and debris. A rope ladder unfurls, dangling just a few feet away. I grab it, my muscles screaming as I haul myself up. Hands reach down, pulling me into the safety of the cabin. I collapse against the metal floor, gasping for breath as the helicopter banks sharply, regaining altitude.
